Mower attachment

ABSTRACT

A mower attachment in the nature of a blade-enclosing guard or shield mounted on the housing in underlying relation to the blade. The blade, for maximum cutting efficiency, is positioned in spaced relation below the peripheral wall of the housing. The guard includes multiple laterally spaced parallel rods individually mounted, through mounting brackets, on the front and rear walls of the housing. Each rod is maintained by a single releasable clip with the rods providing multiple straight paths for the guided reception of the grass.

United States Patent Dacus et al.

[451 Aug. 1,1972

[54] MOWER ATTACHMENT [22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 195,577

Related US. Application Data 2,934,882 5/1960 Kaut, Jr. ..56/320.l2,972,849 2/1961 Ridenour et a1. ..56/320.2 3,038,289 6/1962 Cross..56/255 3,098,337 7/1963 Teachworth ..56/l7.4 3,312,049 4/1967 Walker..56/255 Primary Examiner-Russell R. Kinsey Attorney-Harvey B. Jacobson[57] ABSTRACT A mower attachment in the nature of a blade-enclos- [63]Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 127,280,

March 23, 1971 mg guard or shield mounted on the housing in underlyingrelation to the blade. The blade, for maximum l ..56 255 56 320.1Cutting efficiency, is Positioned in Spaced relation of [58] Field ofSearch 56/255 3201 3202 174 includes multiple laterally spaced parallelrods individually mounted, through mounting brackets, on the front andrear walls of the housing Each rod is maintained by a single releasableclip with the rods [56] References cued providing multiple straightpaths for the guided recep- UNITED STATES PATENTS of the grass-2,906,082 9/1959 Mathis ..56/320.1 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 24 //8 ,2:.;:EZTF; 22

/ O I O I I4 25 MOWER ATTACHMENT This is a continuation-in-part of Ser.No. 127,280, filed Mar. 23, 1971 for Mower Guard.

The present invention is generally concerned with rotary lawn mowers,and more particularly relates to a safety guard or shield which providesfor a protective enclosure of the blade in conjunction with a grassguiding action and, through a blade orientation made possible by theshield, a highly efficient mower operation.

It is a primary intention of the instant invention to provide astructurally simple although highly unique safety shield or guard whichis adapted for mounting on a majority of the commercially availablerotary mowers in a manner which not only provides for a highly efficientprotective enclosure for the blade, but also substantially increases theoperational efficiency of the mower.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a guard whichcan be economically produced, easily sold as a dismantled unit, simplymounted by the user and readily repaired through an inexpensive simplereplacement of such individual components as may be damaged through use.

' Basically, the attachment of the instant invention includes front andrear strip-like mounting brackets boltable to the front and rear wallsof a lawn mower housing and a series of elongated laterally spacedparallel rods having the opposite ends thereof affixed to the bracketsin underlying relation to the mower blade. The blade itself is to bemounted to operate in spaced relation below the peripheral wall of thehousing whereby a maximum suction effect can be produced so as toefficiently draw the grass into the cutting area. The blade underlyingguard rods provide an effective enclosure for the thus exposed blade.The individual rods are easily replaceable, being primarily secured bynut-like grippers.

I These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a mower with the guard of the instantinvention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the guard mounting mower;

FIG. 3 is a partial rear elevational view of the mower with guard;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional detail taken substantially on a planepassing along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial front elevational view of the mower with guard;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional detail taken substantially on a planepassing along line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exposed perspective view of various components of theguard;

FIG. 8 is a view of a portion of the blank from which the front mountingbracket is formed; and

FIG. 9 is a view of a portion of the blank from which the rear mountingbracket is formed.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 isused to generally designate the safety guard with reference numeral 12designating a rotary mower of basically conventional construction uponwhich the guard 10 is to be mounted.

The mower 12 includes a shaft driven rotary blade 14 and a bladecovering housing 16 lying thereover. The housing 16 will conventionallyinclude a flat deck 18 and depending equal height peripheral walls,including a front wall 20, a rear wall 22 and opposed side walls 24.

As will be best appreciated from FIG. 2, the blade 14, and in particularthe cutting tips thereof, is orientated in spaced relation below theperipheral walls, this space normally being from one-eighth to 1 inch.This spacing is considered particularly significant in that the exposedblade creates a substantially improved upward drawing action or suctionon the grass for a proper orientation thereof in the cutting area, thusproviding for a neater cut and a much more efiiciently operating unit.While, in the conventional mower, the exposure of the blade in thismanner could createsubstantial hazards to both the blade and theoperator, the unique guard 10 of the invention provides a protective,yet open, enclosure for the exposed blade with the blade enclosing guardin no way interfering with the cutting action of the blade or thereaction of the grass to the suction created by the blade. In fact,through the particular orientation of the components of the guard, asshall be explained presently, the cutting ability of the mower is infact enchanced.

The guard or shield 10 itself includes front and rear mounting brackets26 and 28 and straight elongated laterally spaced parallel bladeprotecting and grass guiding rods 30 extending therebetween.

The front bracket 26, formed from a blank as illustrated in FIG. 8,consists of an elongated strip 32 having integral outwardly projectingears 34, arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs. The ears 34 of eachpair are bent forwardly at approximately right angles to the strip 32into aligned overlying relation with each other with the ears 34 of eachpair having rod end receiving apertures 36 therethrough. The stripitself includes spaced bolt receiving holes or apertures 38 whichreceive mounting bolts and appropriate securing nuts 40 for a mountingof the bracket 26 on the exterior face of the front wall 20 adjacent thelower edge thereof. It will be appreciated that the front bracket 26 canbe made of any length sufficient so as to accommodate the full length ofthe front wall 20.

The rear bracket 28, formed from a blank as illustrated in FIG. 9, alsoincludes an elongated periodically apertured strip 42 from which spacedlaterally projecting lugs 44 extend. Each of the lugs 44 is of agenerally tapered configuration and includes rigidifying angularlydirected edge flanges 46 and a central rod receiving aperture or hole48. The rear bracket 42, made in a length corresponding to the length ofthe rear wall 22, is mounted on the rear wall 22 by appropriate boltsand nuts 49 with the tapered flange reinforced lugs 44 dependingvertically below the edge of the rear wall 22', the lugs 44 beingorientated with the edge flanges 46 rearwardly directed.

Therods 30 which provide the actual blade enclosing and grass guidingfunctions, are orientated in parallel to each other, extending fromfront to rear, between the brackets 26 and 28, the spacing between therods 30 corresponding to that between-the pairs of ears 34 on the frontbracket 26 and the equally spaced depending lugs 44 on the rear bracket28. Each rod 30 is straight with the forwardend portion 50 thereofupturned at reinforcing end portion of each of the rods 30 is in turnreceived.

through the hole 48 of the aligned lug 44 and is secured therein by anut-like clip 54 of the type which includes a centrally apertured angledbody so as to enable it to freely slide onto the rod end yet effectivelyresist any tendency to release or outwardly move thereon due to aspreading of the clip body through engagement with the corresponding lug44. Such clips 54 and their manner of attachment are conventional andprovide a convenient rapid means for both securing and, if necessary,releasing the individual rods 30. It will of course be appreciated thatthe arrangement of the brackets 26 and 28 is such so as to maintain theindividual rods 30 horizontally orientated beneath the blade 14. By thesame token, the positive gripping of each rod 30 through the associatedclip 54 is sufficient so as to properly maintain the orientation of therod 30 with the upturned forward end portion 50 thereof snugly receivedwithin the aligned cars. If so desired, in order to enhance the grip onthe-rod 30, without affecting the ease of mounting or removal of the rod30, the ears 34 of each pair of ears can be so bent from the centralstrip 32 as to angle outwardly relative to each other, thus requiring aslight resilient compressing of the ears toward each other for theinsertion of the rod end 50 with a release of the ears allowing themtospring slightly outward and thus frictionally lock the rod end 50.

The rods 30, while effectively enclosing and defining a guard or shieldfor the rotating blade 14, in no way affect the cutting ability thereofand in fact enhance the operation of the mower in that the straightfront to rear rods positively align and guide the grass into the cuttingarea which, in conjunction with the improved suction effect resultingfrom the downwardly spaced blade, results in a cleaner and moreefficient cutting action. It will be appreciated that the only portionof the guard which encounters the grass are the smooth rounded upturnedrod ends which will merely tend to properly guide the grass into the roddefined channels.

The guide, constructed as described supra, is, while structurallysimple, highly unique and efficient in operation. Further, should one ormore of the rods 30 become damaged in use, such can be easily replacedwithout requiring a removal of the guard or any dismantling thereofother than a removal of the damaged rod.

Incidentally, with reference to FIG. 1, should an irregularconfiguration of the housing require it, additional edge rods 56 can bemounted through short supplemental brackets 58 formed generally similarto the brackets 26 or 28 as desired, each of the supplemental brackets58 being individually bolted to the housing wall at the proper location.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes 'willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention sc e of the invention.

what lS claimed as new is as follows:

1. A rotary lawn mower and safety guard therefor, said mower comprisinga horizontal rotary blade, a housing, said housing including a deckoverlying said blade in spaced relation thereabove, and peripheraldepending front, rear and side walls, all of said walls terminatingabove said blade in outwardly spaced relation thereto whereby said bladerotates in a horizontal plane beneath the lower edges of the walls todevelop an unencumbered suction effect on encountered grass, said guardcomprising a plurality of straight horizontal rods underlying said bladeand being in laterally spaced parallel relation to each other, and frontand rear rod mounting means affixed to the front and rear walls of saidmower housing.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said rod define continuousuninterrupted straight grass guiding paths between the front wall andthe rear wall.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein each of said rods includes anupturned forward end portion, said front mounting means including anapertured portion receiving each upturned forward rod end therethrough.

4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said front mounting meanscomprises an elongated strip, each apertured portion including upper andlower spaced ears projecting forwardly from said strip and includingvertically aligned rod end receiving holes therethrough.

5. The construction of claim 4 wherein said rear mounting meanscomprises an elongated strip with longitudinally spaced lugs dependingtherefrom each of said lugs including a rod end receiving aperturetherethrough, each of said rods including a rear end portion receivedthrough the lug aperture, and means securing each rod against withdrawalfrom the corresponding lug aperture. v

6. The construction of claim 5 wherein each of said lugs includesopposed integral rearwardly directed reinforcing edge flanges.

7. The construction of claim 1 wherein said rear mounting meanscomprises an elongated strip with longitudinally spaced lugs dependingtherefrom each of said lugs including a rod end receiving aperturetherethrough, each of said rods including a rear end portion receivedthrough the lug aperture, and means securing each rod against withdrawalfrom the corresponding lug aperture.

8. For use in conjunction with a rotary lawn mower, a safety guardtherefor, said safety guard including a plurality of straight elongatedlaterally spaced parallel rods, each of said rods having a rear endportion and an upturned forward end portion, a front mounting bracket,said bracket including plural, pairsof aligned upper and lower earsincorporating aligned apertures for a reception of the upturned forwardend of the corresponding rod therethrough,. and a rear mounting bracketincluding integral laterally spaced lugs, each having an aperturetherethrough for reception of the 1 rear end portion of thecorresponding rod.

1. A rotary lawn mower and safety guard therefor, said mower comprisinga horizontal rotary blade, a housing, said housing including a deckoverlying said blade in spaced relation thereabove, and peripheraldepending front, rear and side walls, all of said walls terminatingabove said blade in outwardly spaced relation thereto whereby said bladerotates in a horizontal plane beneath the lower edges of the walls todevelop an unencumbered suction effect on encountered grass, said guardcomprising a plurality of straight horizontal rods underlying said blaDeand being in laterally spaced parallel relation to each other, and frontand rear rod mounting means affixed to the front and rear walls of saidmower housing.
 2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said rods definecontinuous uninterrupted straight grass guiding paths between the frontwall and the rear wall.
 3. The construction of claim 2 wherein each ofsaid rods includes an upturned forward end portion, said front mountingmeans including an apertured portion receiving each upturned forward rodend therethrough.
 4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said frontmounting means comprises an elongated strip, each apertured portionincluding upper and lower spaced ears projecting forwardly from saidstrip and including vertically aligned rod end receiving holestherethrough.
 5. The construction of claim 4 wherein said rear mountingmeans comprises an elongated strip with longitudinally spaced lugsdepending therefrom each of said lugs including a rod end receivingaperture therethrough, each of said rods including a rear end portionreceived through the lug aperture, and means securing each rod againstwithdrawal from the corresponding lug aperture.
 6. The construction ofclaim 5 wherein each of said lugs includes opposed integral rearwardlydirected reinforcing edge flanges.
 7. The construction of claim 1wherein said rear mounting means comprises an elongated strip withlongitudinally spaced lugs depending therefrom each of said lugsincluding a rod end receiving aperture therethrough, each of said rodsincluding a rear end portion received through the lug aperture, andmeans securing each rod against withdrawal from the corresponding lugaperture.
 8. For use in conjunction with a rotary lawn mower, a safetyguard therefor, said safety guard including a plurality of straightelongated laterally spaced parallel rods, each of said rods having arear end portion and an upturned forward end portion, a front mountingbracket, said bracket including plural pairs of aligned upper and lowerears incorporating aligned apertures for a reception of the upturnedforward end of the corresponding rod therethrough, and a rear mountingbracket including integral laterally spaced lugs, each having anaperture therethrough for reception of the rear end portion of thecorresponding rod.